


The Beauty and the Beast

by JustAnotherMarvelGirl



Series: Our Love Is Stronger Than the Universe [26]
Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Monster Hunters, Alternate Universe - Werewolves, F/M, I really don't know how to tag, Smut
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-26
Updated: 2020-08-26
Packaged: 2021-03-07 02:07:27
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,623
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26119276
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/JustAnotherMarvelGirl/pseuds/JustAnotherMarvelGirl
Summary: Wanda is a huntress who rids villages of dangerous beasts for a living. Little does she know that her newest mission will end up changing her life forever.
Relationships: Wanda Maximoff/Vision
Series: Our Love Is Stronger Than the Universe [26]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1880671
Comments: 12
Kudos: 28
Collections: AUgust 2020, Scarlet Vision AU-gust





	The Beauty and the Beast

**Author's Note:**

> Written for AU-gust day 26: Monster Hunters AU
> 
> Inspired partially by Darthelvig's idea and partially by this lovely edit from Snippedaway:

Wanda carefully sharpened her sword, leaning on the rough wooden chair.

Her bow rested next to her leg, its weight a comforting reassurance as she thought about her task.

Hunting beasts was not an easy profession. It was dangerous more often than not, but it paid well. There were always those willing to part with some coin in order to keep their lands and herds safe.

This village was no different.

She had heard stories of its villagers being in need of aid and offered her services to them. They had gladly accepted.

Still, no one could tell her much about the creature that plagued them.

It was rarely seen, but when it was, it emerged from the thick forest and went straight for the sheep. It appeared to be very intelligent, always evading the traps and managing to steal a couple of animals, but no one had ever gotten a good look at it. All that Wanda knew was that it was huge, appeared at night, was white as a ghost, had thick fur and that its growling and howling could be heard for miles.

Wanda lowered the whetstone, finally satisfied with her work. The sword was as sharp as it was going to get. All she needed to do now was plunge it straight into the heart of the beast.

She got up from the chair and stretched, pacing the tiny cottage she had been provided with. If the stories were anything to go by, it was still too early for the creature to appear. She might as well check what the village had to offer.

Wanda opened the door of the cottage and walked out, surprised not to see anyone around. By the position of the sun she guessed it was around five in the afternoon, certainly not the end of the work day.

She walked in silence, musing about the lack of people, when she ran straight into someone’s chest.

“Oh, I’m so sorry!” she exclaimed, checking the man she had crashed into for any injuries. He seemed to be alright, his hands gripping her arms protectively the only sign that anything had happened.

Her eyes wondered upwards and were lost in the prettiest blue she had ever seen, the whole of summer’s sky somehow trapped inside one man’s eyes.

“It is quite alright,” he said softly, his gaze revealing a deep sorrow that pulled at her heartstrings. The kind of sorrow she knew too well.

“I don’t believe I have seen you around here. Granted, I don’t come into the village very often,” he explained, lightly scratching the back of his neck.

“Oh, you haven’t,” she chuckled. “I don’t plan on staying very long, just until my mission is over.”

“Oh!” he suddenly exclaimed, eyes widening, “you’re the monster hunter!”

Wanda couldn’t help but laugh at his words. _Monster hunter_. She might even use it for getting future jobs.

“I suppose you could say that,” she chuckled. “I know you said you’re not often here, but do you know where everyone is?”

He might not exactly be a local, but he was the only person she could see, so she might as well try to get some answers.

“W-well, it is said that the beast likes the moon, so no one wants to be outside while it’s in the sky,” he explained.

Wanda frowned, eyes searching for the offending moon.

“But there’s no moon in the sky,” she pointed out, frowning slightly.

“Well, they don’t know how to predict the moon’s phases, so they stay inside as much as they can, especially in the afternoon and the evenings,” the man shrugged.

“I take it you know how to do that,” she smiled. His brows creased slightly. “I mean, since you’re out and all,” Wanda explained, gesturing with her hand towards nowhere in particular.

The man visibly relaxed and nodded, gracing her with a small smile.

“I might have spent some time studying the moon cycles,” he chuckled. It was a beautiful sound.

“Funny how a single creature can alter the lives of everyone around it,” Wanda mused. “People hiding, you having to study the moon… Well, that’s why I’m here I suppose.”

“Good luck on your quest. I should go get the supplies I came for,” the man said suddenly, turning away from her.

“Thanks,” Wanda whispered, staring after his retreating form.

She didn’t even get his name.

* * *

Wanda groaned in frustration.

She had spent the last eight nights scouting the woods but the beast was nowhere to be found. It was as if it didn’t exist at all.

What she did find, however, was a small cottage she supposed belonged to the man she had bumped into the other day. She had found out from the villagers that he was known as Vision and that he was a bit of a loner. He lived in the woods and didn’t come into the village unless it was absolutely necessary.

He was an odd man, but Wanda couldn’t help but be drawn to him. After her job here was done, perhaps she might even gather enough courage to visit him at his small cottage. Maybe even postpone leaving this village for a few weeks…

Wanda shook her head. It was this damn place that was making her think like that. She had no other option but to be alone with her thoughts, because there was just nothing else to do while waiting for the night to fall.

Despite the day seemingly stretching on forever, Wanda eventually knew it was time to get ready. She was just putting the bow over her shoulder when she heard a loud howl coming from the forest.

Yes!

This was it!

She quickly sheathed her sword and rushed out of the cottage.

She wasn’t going to lose the creature now that she had heard it.

Wanda entered the forest fearlessly, her path well lit by the light of the full moon and she smiled. Perhaps the villagers were right in avoiding the moon, at least if the howls were anything to go by.

She didn’t know how long she had been walking before she finally noticed a shape bent over a slaughtered sheep.

Her eyes widened.

It looked like a wolf, but it was the largest one she had ever seen. If she were to come closer, she was sure it would reach at least her shoulders even while standing on four paws.

Its fur was white as snow, almost glowing in the moonlight, and, despite being terrified by its size, Wanda couldn’t help but find it beautiful.

Still, a job was a job, and it _was_ stealing people’s sheep and inflicting terror in them.

She got into the position and drew her bow, aiming straight for the head of the beast, when it suddenly turned towards her.

Wanda couldn’t stop a startled gasp from leaving her lips.

No, that was… impossible.

The eyes that were staring back at her were not the eyes of a wolf. They were the same piercing blue eyes filled with sorrow that she had only seen once in her life.

 _Vision_ …

Her aim faltered and the arrow flew somewhere behind the animal, but the creature didn’t attack, just turned away and ran.

Before she could change her mind, Wanda chased after it. She didn’t even know what she’d do with it if she managed to catch up with it, all that she knew was that she needed some answers.

How could this wolf have the same eyes as the man she had encountered in the village? The man who lived isolated, away from everyone?

Vision was a man, Wanda was sure of it. She had seen him with her own eyes, touched him with her own hands.

So who was this?

She lost sight of it but she could see the tracks it left behind, and, after a while, realized it was heading towards Vision’s house.

Despite feeling exhausted from all the running, Wanda sped up her pace. If it was going after Vision, she had to protect him. And if it somehow _was_ Vison…

Wanda shook her head.

Impossible.

And yet, if it was… She had to know.

When she finally reached the cottage, the beast was nowhere in sight, but neither was Vision. She checked all the windows but couldn’t see him through any of them. The door, too small for the large wolf to enter, was unlocked, but not even a detailed search of the rooms gave her any clue as to where he was.

She stepped outside, frustrated with her failure. How could she lose such a humongous beast? And why was Vision such an idiot to go outside while the moon was clearly visible in the sky? He was supposed to know these things!

Wanda decided to widen her search a bit. The ground around the cottage was too hard for it to leave pawprints, but she could always follow her instincts. A few broken twigs here, a couple of soft white hairs there, and Wanda stumbled upon a cave that was relatively near Vision’s home.

This had to be the beast’s lair!

She sneaked into the cave and saw the creature laying on the ground. Its eyes were open, staring straight at her, but it didn’t take a defensive stance.

Wanda felt the breath catch in her throat.

From up close it was undeniable. Those were Vision’s eyes.

“Vision?” she whispered and the white wolf let out a quiet whimper, a whimper that sounded so at odds with its size, but didn’t move.

Encouraged by the lack of reaction, Wanda took a step closer, and another, until she could feel its hot breath on her skin.

As those sad blue eyes remained on hers, Wanda realized she wasn’t afraid anymore.

She slowly raised her hand, giving the creature enough time to get away, but it moved its head towards her hand instead.

The moment she made contact with it, Wanda let out a sound of surprise. Its fur was so soft and warm that a part of her wanted to just envelop the wolf in a big hug.

“Can you understand me?” she asked, but there was once again no reaction.

“Hmm, ok,” she muttered, unsure about what to do next.

She couldn’t kill it, not after it had trusted her enough to let her come this close, and definitely not while it stared at her with those beautiful eyes.

Wanda suddenly froze in place as an idea formed in her head.

If this really was Vision and if the beast truly was connected with the moon, all she had to do was wait until the moon set in order to find out.

“I am just going to sit down,” she explained softly, before slowly crouching and sitting on the cold floor of the cave. She couldn’t help but shiver as she felt the chill seeping into her bones.

Wanda was startled by the wolf suddenly draping itself around her, but she then smiled, embracing the warmth it provided.

“Thank you,” she whispered, leaning on its body. Wanda smiled. It felt more like an oversized dog than like a scary beast.

Before she knew it, the warmth and the softness had lulled her into sleep. She was awoken by a startled yelp and opened her eyes to see that she was sprawled out on the hard ground, with the wolf nowhere in sight. What _was_ in sight, however, was a very naked Vision.

She couldn’t help but appreciate the lean muscles adorning his body, he was quite well-built, before her gaze wandered lower and she remembered to avert her gaze.

“M-monster hunter!” he stuttered, eyes wide as he tried to hide his private parts. “What are you doing here?”

“It’s Wanda. And I’m here because I followed the beast into its lair,” she said, a smile tugging at the corners of her lips.

So it _was_ him!

She watched as confusion settled on his face.

“But…” he started, forehead creasing, “how am I alive then?”

“Well, once I came face to face with it, I couldn’t hurt it. It had the most beautiful eyes I had ever seen. The eyes I _had_ seen once before,” she explained.

“That was incredibly foolish,” he stated, moving his arms to cross them, before he remembered his state of undress and quickly returned them, blushing a furious red. “I could have hurt you, or worse, turned you into a monster like myself!”

“And yet, you didn’t,” Wanda insisted, standing up and crossing her own arms. “You never even growled at me. So how about you get dressed and explain what exactly is going on here?”

“I… Alright… But please, just tell me, did I hurt anyone?”

His face was filled with worry, and all Wanda wanted to do was to wrap him into a hug.

“You don’t remember anything?” she asked instead.

“I never do,” he replied, shaking his head. “I have no control while I’m in that form.”

“Well, just a sheep or two,” Wanda laughed, answering his question. “And I believe you _do_ have some control. For all the stories I’ve heard about this beast, there was never any about humans getting hurt. Only animals.”

“I wish I could trust you, but… let me tell you the full story first,” he replied, voice so sad it made Wanda’s heart squeeze in pain.

“Okay,” she said gently, a wistful smile on her face. Whatever his story was, it couldn’t be an easy way to live. All the guilt, wondering what you did last night, who you hurt… Wanda shivered. It was a fate no one deserved.

“Would you, uh, would you mind going first?” he asked, head nodding towards the exit of the cave.

“Oh! Of course,” she chuckled, quickly turning around and heading out to give him some privacy.

She waited for a while but he wasn’t coming out, and, just as she was about to check up on him, Wanda was shocked to see him emerging from the cave fully clothed.

“I always have some spare clothes laying around here,” he explained once he noticed her confused look. “Come, let’s head inside.”

Wanda followed him inside the cottage and waited for him to start talking. After a while, he finally spoke.

“I haven’t always been like this. I was a woodcutter, providing the wood for both myself and the rest of the villagers, but one day, around four years ago, I went too far in search for the best tree trunks. I got lost in a deep part of the woods, miles away from here and I had wandered around for a day and a half until I ran into a huge black wolf. Before I could run away, the wolf lounged at me and bit my arm. It was going to rip me apart but I somehow managed to drive my axe into its heart.”

Wanda gasped, covering her mouth. _That_ was a monster, not the wolf with gentle eyes she had encountered last night.

“I thought I would die out there, but in the end I made my way back home. However, my memories started disappearing on every full moon since I got back and there was always damage around me when I woke up, never in the same place where I went to sleep in. Sometimes I didn’t even go to sleep, all I could remember was walking or doing something, then suddenly there was this searing pain and the next thing I knew I was somewhere else and it was hours later,” he continued.

“The bite infected you,” Wanda stated, and Vision nodded.

“Yes. It took me months to connect the pieces, and once I did, I investigated all about the myths concerning shape-shifting people. All I could find were a couple of words. Bedtime stories to scare the children. Werewolves haunting the forests at night… Full moon… No cure…”

His voice broke at the last part and Wanda reached towards him, placing her hand on his.

“I’m so sorry,” she whispered.

Vision was silent for a few minutes before he found the strength to continue.

“The only thing I could do was try to be as prepared as I could. My house was always away from the village, but I built one even deeper in the woods, for their protection. I learned all I could about the moon and its cycles, to be able to predict exactly when it would happen again. And yet, there is nothing I can do when it does. Each time afterwards I listen for any news of someone getting hurt, I listen to find out if there is another person whose life I took.”

Wanda frowned at that.

“What do you mean, Vision?” she asked.

“That wolf. If… if it was like me, then it was also a human. Wanda,” he said, pronouncing her name for the first time, “I killed him. Or her,” he replied, averting his gaze to the side.

“You didn’t know! Just like I could have killed _you_ without knowing! Besides, that is _exactly_ what makes the difference between you two. You killed that wolf in self-defense, it had attacked you, but you have had plenty of opportunities to attack me last night and you didn’t. You even made sure I was warm, for crying out loud!”

Vision's eyes widened.

“I… I did?” he asked, voice incredulous.

“Yes! Vision, you might not remember anything, but your instincts weren’t to attack. They were to protect. And yes, you killed a sheep or two, but a wolf that size needs to eat. So you might think the you have no control, but I’m convinced a part of you does have it. And the person that bit you… I can’t help but believe it was a bad one even while it was human.”

“You really think so?” he asked, eyes shining with hope for the first time since she met him.

“I do,” she assured him, watching as a small smile finally spread over his face.

“What will you do now?” Vision asked after a moment. “The sheep are missing, they will know that the beast appeared.”

“I will tell them I have no proof because the beast fell into a river after I had slain it, but that it won’t bother them again,” Wanda replied. She had a plan, she just hoped that Vision would go along with it.

“But… it will happen again next month,” he added in confusion.

“It doesn’t have to,” she insisted. His confusion only deepened at that.

“What do you mean?”

“I mean, come with me, Vision. Get away from here, we’ll go somewhere where no one knows anything about this, buy some sheep before the full moon, maybe herd our own sheep… I’ll make sure you don’t wander off too far,” she suggested, excitement coursing through her veins. She wanted to help him, and she _had_ been thinking about them spending some time together. The circumstances may be different now, but if he accepted they’d be able to get to know each other, become friends, perhaps even something more.

“No, Wanda, I can’t,” he replied, his words making her face fall.

“Why not?” she whispered. “What kind of a life do you have here? Completely isolated, having to hide from everyone including yourself… Don’t you want something more? A life with someone you can just _be_ with, no pretending?”

“There is nothing I want more than that, but I… I can’t have that. I am a monster, Wanda, what if I hurt you? I couldn’t live with myself, I couldn’t…”

Wanda put a finger to his lips, effectively shutting him up.

“I am a monster hunter, remember? I am neither afraid nor defenseless. Besides, you could never hurt me. I saw it in your eyes last night and I see it in your eyes now. Say yes, Vision,” she pleaded, holding her breath until he finally nodded.

“Alright. But you will have your weapons at hand every full moon. And in case I try to attack you, you will not hesitate. I need you to promise me,” he insisted, his eyes imploring her to accept his terms.

“I promise. But that will not be necessary. From what I’ve seen, you’re basically an oversized dog. You have some food and then all you want to do is cuddle,” she chuckled.

Vision’s jaw dropped at that.

“I am _not_ ,” he demanded, glaring at her, but there was no real contempt in his gaze.

“You so are. Just a large puppy. I wonder if you’d catch a stick if I threw it. I’ll have to try it next time,” she teased.

He was silent for a moment before suddenly lunging towards her, hands tickling her sides.

“Gods, Vision, stop,” Wanda begged in between giggles. Still, she couldn’t really be annoyed with him, not when she could finally see a playful glint in his eyes.

“Take it back,” he insisted, not removing his fingers from her. And lord, what those fingers were doing to her! Despite him using them to tickle her, he was still touching her, and her body couldn’t help but respond.

“I take it back,” she yelled once she caught her breath. The moment his hands were off her, she jumped out of the chair, taking cover behind the table. “I won’t try it next time. I’ll try it the one after that, or perhaps the one after.”

Vision just shook his head, a small laughter escaping him, before he caught her eyes again.

“You really plan to stay with me for that long?” he asked, frowning slightly after her nod. “But why?”

Wanda took some time to think about her answer. She finally approached Vision and stopped a short distance in front of him.

She bit her lip, knowing that she was stalling for time, but the look in his eyes made her stop.

“I just… I think we can help each other. You’re not the only one who’s always alone. I have lost my whole family at an early age and spent my life bouncing from one place to the next, mostly hunting for pay, but I never settled down. I never _wanted_ to, not until I met you. And, by the gods, you definitely need someone to take care of you… I am aware that I don’t know you that well, but I feel drawn to you. If your actions as a wolf are anything to go by, the feeling is mutual,” she stated, hoping wholeheartedly that she was right.

“I can’t vouch for _that_ form, but I _can_ vouch for me. It is mutual. The moment I caught you in my arms I felt as if you were the thing that was missing from my life. Then I realized who you were and became terrified,” he chuckled, and Wanda joined in his laughter.

“Yes, the big bad monster hunter,” she joked, watching as his eyes lit up.

“You know, I don’t even know what I look like when I’m the beast,” he admitted, and Wanda smiled.

“Well, you’re beautiful. You look like a giant wolf, with snow-white fur that has to be the softest and the warmest thing I have ever touched. I definitely look forward to cuddling with you again,” she said and blushed as she realized how her last words could be interpreted.

Vision seemed to catch the same thing, because he raised his eyebrow and a slight smirk appeared on his face.

“I am pretty sure that can be arranged even before the next full moon,” he replied, his words sending a burst of heat to her core.

“Can it, now?” she replied, raising an eyebrow of her own.

“Wanda, I owe you my life, anything can be arranged for you,” he stated earnestly.

Wanda felt her face fall.

“No, Vision… You don’t… You don’t owe me anything. If… if there is to be something more between us, I don’t want it to happen because you feel some sort of an obligation towards me or–”

Her words were suddenly cut off by his lips on hers. She froze in shock at first, until her brain caught up with what was happening and she let herself get lost in the feeling of his soft lips moving against hers.

“It’s not out of obligation,” he whispered hoarsely, pulling away for just a second, before she tangled her hand in his hair and their lips crashed together again.

She deepened their kiss, moaning at the taste of him. He felt so good, so right, and before she knew it she ended up propped up on the table.

“We don’t have to rush this, we… we can take things slow, we have time…” the words rushed out of Vision, even as his hips grinded against hers of their own accord.

Yes, they had time, a lifetime if fate would have it, but she didn’t want to wait. It had been so long since she had allowed anyone this close, since she had felt anything but her own hands giving her pleasure. She knew what she wanted and she wanted it now.

However, there were two important questions to be asked first.

“Is it safe? I mean, I won’t start to join you during the full moons, right?” she asked. She was so turned on that she might have said yes anyway, but she needed to be prepared.

“You won’t. I can only infect you in wolf form,” he assured her.

Wanda sighed in relief.

Then there was just one more thing to ask.

“Do you want me Vision?”

Her voice was hoarse, almost unrecognizable to her own ears, but she needed his definite confirmation that he felt the same.

It didn’t matter that his pupils were so dilated that the blue of his eyes was barely visible, or that she could feel the hard evidence of his arousal pressing against her core.

She needed to hear it.

“Yes, Wanda, gods, yes,” he mumbled against her neck, where his lips had moved to kiss a spot that made her see stars.

“Then take what you want,” she demanded, determined to do the same as her fingers started fumbling with the fastenings of his clothes.

Vision’s hands caught hers and, just as she was about to protest, he hoisted her up and carried her towards the bed.

He stripped her of her clothes slowly and methodically, the anticipation making her go insane, but she wouldn’t change a thing. Not with the way he was looking at her.

“I don’t deserve this,” Vision said once she was bare before him. “I… I must have been cursed for a reason, I must have done something horrible in my past life, I don’t deserve someone as perfect as you.”

Wanda pulled him towards her and connected their lips in another heated kiss while she divested him of his clothing.

“It’s not a curse, Vision,” she demanded once they broke apart for air.

“It’s not?” he asked, looking incredibly cute with some of his tousled hair falling in his eyes.

“No. In fact, it is a blessing. It brought us together, didn’t it?” Wanda countered.

Vision smiled slightly before slowly entering her, making her eyes roll to the back of her head.

He groaned at the feeling, his head falling to lean against her forehead.

His eyes were filled with so much desire and hope, the lack of sorrow making Wanda’s heart soar.

Their lips met in another soft kiss as he slowly started to move.

If there was heaven, then this was it, Wanda was sure of it.

Their eyes connected again and he flashed her another perfect smile before whispering against her skin.

“Yes. Yes, it did.”


End file.
